According to the Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki, the broken passport machine has been fixed and the ministry now targets tripling current passports from three million to 10 million in the next five years.
He said he found a backlog of 1,698 applications for citizenship spanning five years and 421 have been made between the time he took over the office and now.
“By January 27, I had cleared all the applications. Some of the applications involved people who had stayed in the country for many years including a person I know from Pakistan-my high school teacher at Lenana School who has lived in Kenya since 1971,” Prof Kindiki said.
He said that all applications must be processed within 21 days and online registration of births and deaths to be launched on March 1.
“Unique Person Identify for all children born in the country to be launched soon. It shall serve as their pry school number, NHIF, NSSF and death certificate number. It shall expire upon their death,” the CS said.
Prof Kindiki spoke at Harambee House on Monday when he presented a public accountability statement for his first 100 days in office.
